Tailpiece for stringed musical instruments



Feb. 12, 1952 1 E, KLUSON 2,585,661

TAILPIECE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Oct. 26. 1949 Patented Feb. 121952 TAILPIECE FOR STRINGED; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS John E. Kluson, Chicago, Ill., assig'nor to Kluson Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationOctober 26, 19.49 Serial No,.1.2..3,723.

1 Claim. 1

Thev present invention relates generally to tailpieces for stringed musicalY instruments, such, for example, as guitars. More particularly the invention relates to that type of tailpiece which is mounted on the lower end of the body of the instrument to which it is applied, serves as a medium for anchoring the adjacent ends of the instrument strings, and comprises an attaching bracket,-a U-shaped rod, the crosspiece of which isconnected by a hinge connection to the bracket and a crossbar which extends between, and is connected to, the free ends of the side pieces of the U-shapedrod and when the tailpiece is in its operative position is disposed beneath the bridge of the instrument.

I n a tailpiece of thistype it has heretofore been proposed to form a comparatively wide longitudinally extending groove in the lower side portion of the crossbar and transversely extending, laterally spaced, narrow, full length, string receiving notches in the bottom surface of the crossbar and to anchor the adjacent ends of the instrument strings to the crossbar of the tailpiece by attaching such ends to spools and then inserting the spools into the groove and positioning the strings in the notches. Inpractice it has been found that a tailpiece, the crossbar of which has the adjacent ends of the strings anchored to it in the aforementioned manner, is objectionable because anchoring of the adjacent ends o f the strings to the crossbar of the tailpiece is diflicult due to the fact that when the. strings are not under tension there is a marked tendency for the spools to drop by gravity from seated relation with the longitudinal groove in the lower side portion ofthe crossbar.

The principal object of this invention is to provide4 a stringed instrument tailpiece which is an improvement upon, and eliminates the objection to, previously designed tailpieces of the aforementioned type and is characterized by the fact thatr it embodies novel means whereby the adjacent ends oi the strings are anchored to the crossbar of the tailpiece Without likelihood` of displacement of the spoolsfrom seated relation with the crossbar when the strings are not subject to apparent from a considerationv of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are incre particularly dened by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and` forms a part of this specication or disclosure andl in which like letters andnumerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure l is a plan View of a stringed instrument having applied thereto a tailpiece embodyingl the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged View showing the bracket and U-shaped rod ofthe tailpiece in plan and the cross'bar in horizontal section and illustrating in detail the construction and design of the means ior anchoring the spool equipped ends of the strings of the instrument to the crossbar;

Figure, 3 is. a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3-3 ofk Figure l;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the free end ofone oi the side pieces of the U-shaped rod;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section on theline 5 5. of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a perspective of one,- of the spools for use in anchoring the strings of the instrument to the crossbar of the tailpiece.

The tailpiece which is shown, in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment o f the invention. It is illustratedy as. being applied to, andforminga part of, a guitar G and, as hereinafter described more indetail, serves asa medium or instrumentality forA anchoring the strings g of. the guitar. The guitar G is of conventional or standard construction and represents butvone type, of stringed instrument to which the tailpiece may be applied. As shown in Figure l, they guitar G, comprises a hollow body g1 and aI neck g2. The latterv is connectedto, and projects outwards from, the so-called upper endr of they body and consists of a shank par-t and a head part at the outer end of the shank part. The shanky part of. theneck has the usual keyboard on,y itsupper surface and the strings y extend lengthwise over the keyboard. The head part of the neck g2. embodies tuning heads g3 and these correspond in number to, and. are connected to thev adjacent ends of,-v the stringsl g. The neck embodies between` theshank and the head parts a notched extension nut g4 over which the strings g extend. Thebqdy; gl of. the` guitar G embodies a top. wall g5 and ag continuous, side Wall g and is provided 3 on its top wall with an upstanding bridge 9"' The latter is disposed between the lower end of the body top wall g and the lower end of the shank part of the neck g2 and serves to support above the top wall g5 of the body the ends of the strings that are anchored to the tailpiece. The strings g are formed of wire and have the last mentioned ends thereof attached to spools g8. The latter, as shown in Figure 6, have tapered ends and circumferential grooves intermediate or midway between their ends. The strings g are connected to the spools by wrapping or bending around the grooves in the spools the ends that are to be anchored to the tailpiece and then twisting the end extremities around the adjacent portions of the strings as best shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. The spools g3 are arranged so that the axes thereof extend at right angles to the strings, and are materially greater in length than the strings are thick.

As its components or parts the tailpiece comprises a, bracket 1, a U-shaped rod 8 and a crossbar 9.

The bracket l serves as an attaching medium for the tailpiece, is preferably in the form of a one-piece sheet metal stamping and consists of a pair of parts II) and II. The bracket part I0 is substantially flat and iits against the upper portion of the lower end of the side wall g6 of the guitar body g1 and is secured in place by means of screws I2 or similar attaching devices. The other part of the bracket '1, i. e., the part II, is connected to the upper end of the part I0 and extends upwards and inwards with respect to the bracket part I0. The outer end of the bracket part II is bent to form an open ended, cylindrical sleeve I3 which, as shown in Figure 3, extends transversely to the guitar body g1 and is spaced a small distance above the body top wall g5.

The U -shaped rod 8 of the tailpiece is formed of stili or rigid metallic stock and is located between the bracket I and the bridge g". It is dis- 'l are counter-bored to form cylindrical sockets i'I for receiving the spools g8 on the adjacent ends of the strings g. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the diameter of the sockets I'I is slightly greater than the length of the spools and the depth of he socket is slightly greater than the width or diameter of the spools. The inner ends of the sockets are tapered or countersunk conformably to the tapered ends of the spools and as a result when the strings g are under tension said inner ends of the sockets coaot with the tapered ends of the spools to center the spools with respect to the sockets and thus maintain the anchored ends of the strings in centered relation with the bore formed holes I6. When it is desired to anchor the strings g of the guitar G to the crossbar 9 of the tailpiece the ends of the strings that are adapted for connection to the tuning heads g3 on the head part of the guitar neck g2 are first inserted into the sockets Il and are Athen passed or threaded through the bore formed holes I6. Thereafter the strings are pulled away from the tailpiece until the spools g8 are brought within the sockets I1. When the spools are disposed within the sockets the spool ends coact with the portions of the crossbar that define the inner ends of the socket to limit movement of the spool equipped ends of the strings in the direction of the bridge g7. After insertion of the strings through the holes I6 and lodgment or disposition of the spools g8 in the sockets Il the other ends of the strings are connected to the tuning heads g3. By providing the holes I6 and enlarged sockets I'I in the crossbar 9 of the tailpiece the spool equipped ends of the strings g remain in anchored or interiitting relation with the crossbar regardless of whether the strings are subjected to tension. In other words, after the strings are inserted through the holes I6 the spool equipped ends thereof cannot become dislodged or disconnected from the crossbar of the tailposed above and in substantially parallel relation A with the top wall g5 of the guitar body and consists of a straight crosspiece I4 and a pair of side pieces I5. The crosspiece III extends loosely through the sleeve I3 with the result that the U-- shaped rod 8 is connected by a hinge connection to the bracket and is free to swing upwards and downwards with respect to the top wall of the body in connection with anchoring of the strings g to the tailpiece. The side pieces I5 of the U- shaped rod 8 are connected by substantially right angle bends to the ends of the crosspiece I4. The portions of the side pieces other than the outer ends are outwardly divergent and the outer ends of the side pieces are in parallel relation as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The stock of which the U- shaped rod is formed is of circular cross section.

The crossbar 9 of the tailpiece extends between the free ends of the side pieces I5 of the U-shaped rod 8 and is formed of any suitable hard material, such, for example, as steel. It is arched to a comparatively small extent, as shown in Figure 3 and embodies a plurality of equidistantly spaced, transversely extending, bore-formed holes I6. The latter correspond in number to, and are adapted respectively to receive the adjacent ends of, the strings y of the guitar G. They are disposed midway between the top and bottom faces of the crossbar 9 and extend between and through the side faces of the crossbar. The ends of the holes I6 that are adjacent the side face of the crossbar that is in opposed relation with the bracket piece even though the other ends of the strings are not connected to the tuning heads on the head part of the guitar neck g2. By having the sockets Il as deep as the spools g8 are wide the spools, when the strings are under tension, are disposed wholly within the crossbar 9 and hence do not form protuberances which would interfere with playing of the guitar.

The ends of the crossbar 9 of the tailpiece are provided with transverse bore formed holes I8. The latter are adapted to receive the free ends of the side pieces I5 of the U-shaped rod 8 and extend between and through the side faces of the crossbar. The ends of the holes that are adjacent the side face of the crossbar that is in opposed relation with the bridge g? are counterbored to form enlarged sockets I9, the inner ends of which are deiined by iiat annular shoulders 20. The extremities of the free ends of the side pieces I5 are compressed laterally to form integral enlargements 2I which t within the sockets I9 and abut against the shoulders 20, as shown in Figure 2. normally of greater width than the sockets I9 in order that when the crossbar is in proper connected relation with the U-shaped rod 8 they engage the sockets with a press or drive iit and hence hold the crossbar against sliding movement in either direction with respect to the U- shaped rod. The enlargements 2| coact with the shoulders 20 positively to prevent sliding movement of the crossbar 9 relatively to the U-shaped rod I5 in the direction of the bridge g" and hence when the tailpiece is in use there is no likeli- The enlargements 2l arehood whatsoever of the crossbar shifting or sliding towards the bridge g'r and resultantly effecting a change in the tuning of the strings y.

In assembling the tailpiece the crosspiece I4 of the U-shaped rod 8 is connected to the bracket part II by introducing it into the sleeve I3. This is done before the extremities of the free ends of the side pieces of the U-shaped rod are compressed to form the enlargements 2I. After connection of the U-shaped rod to the bracket 'I the crossbar 9 is manipulated so as to align the holes I8 in its ends with the free ends of the side pieces of the U-shaped rod. Thereafter the crossbar is shifted towards the U- shaped rod in order to effect insertion of the free ends of the side pieces completely through the bore formed holes I8. After this operation the extremities of the free ends of the side pieces are compressed to form the enlargements 2I and thereafter the crossbar 9 is driven away from the bracket 1 in order to bring the enlargements 2l into the enlarged sockets I9 and cause them to grip the sockets with a so-called press or drive t. After assembly of the tailpiece and application of the latter to the guitar the strings g are anchored to the crossbar 9 as hereinbefore described.

The herein described tailpiece effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that the bore formed holes I6 and the enlarged sockets I'I constitute such means for anchoring the adjacent ends of the strings to the tailpiece crossbar that such ends are always in connected relation with the crossbar regardless of whether the strings are under tension.

Whereas the tailpiece has been described and illustrated in connection with a guitar it is to be understood that it may be applied to other types of stringed musical instruments. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

As a new article of manufacture, a tailpiece designed for use on a stringed musical instrument of the type that embodies a body and neck with a plurality of laterally spaced strings eX- tending lengthwise over the body and neck and having the ends thereof that are adjacent the body connected to the central portions of elongated transversely extending substantially cylindrical spools with outwardly tapered ends, said tailpiece comprising a bracket provided with means for attachment to the lower end of the body vand an elongated crossbar connected to the bracket so that when the tailpiece is in place on the instrument it overlies, and extends transversely of, the body, and having formed therein a plurality of laterally spaced open ended but closed sided cylindrical holes extending longitudinally of the body, corresponding in number to the strings, adapted respectively to have threaded therethrough said ends of the strings, and provided at the ends thereof that are remote from the instrument neck with enlarged cylindrical concentrically arranged sockets for seating and completely housing said spools, the inner ends of the sockets being tapered in the direction of the neck of the instrument in order that when the strings are placed under tension the portions of the crossbar that define said inner ends of the sockets coact with the tapered ends of the spools to center the spools with respect to said sockets and also center th-e strings within their respective holes in the crossbar.

JOHN E. KLUSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 349,308 Hodges e Sept 2l., 1886 1,577,418 Clubb Mar. 16, 1926 1,746,759 Baker 1 Feb. 11, 1930 2,124,439 Sunshine July 19, 1938 2,416,593 Proll Feb. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 452,570 l Great Britain Aug. 25, 1936 

